leadership

May 10 2022

Expecting Excellence

The idea of expecting excellence isn’t new, nor is the premise that every leader should expect excellence from his or her team. But just like everything a leader says and does, it’s not so much a matter of “what” he or she does as much as it is about “how” they do what they do.

There’s a significant difference between establishing an environment where excellence is expected and one where excellence is demanded. In the first case, not only does the culture of the organization establish the expectations for excellence, but the actions of your entire team will essentially “put pressure” on everyone to perform up to the standards of excellence expected.

In the second case, where excellence is demanded, “pressure” from you is the only dynamic at play. And you know how most people react to direct pressure – they push back. And push-back usually comes in the form of either passive-aggressive behavior or by working just hard enough to keep from being fired.

So, let’s discuss how to go about establishing an environment where excellence is expected. There are two components to this equation. The first is defining what excellence means to you and your organization, and the second is the design of that environment.

How we define excellence is governed by the standards and values we embrace. Standards determine the level of quality we desire. They govern quality of service and quality of product. There are many levels of quality, and only you and your team can determine which level you want to be known for. Excellent quality does not necessarily mean the very best that can be produced. Let me offer a couple of real-world, practical examples. The first comes from the restaurant business and the other from the automotive industry.

If you go to a fast-food restaurant, excellent service means delivering the customer’s food within a very short time – typically 2-4 minutes. Much longer than that, and most customers will feel that the service is less than excellent. In contrast, if you dined in an expensive, gourmet restaurant and your food came out within 2-4 minutes, you’d no doubt feel rushed and consider the service to be poor.

The other example comes from the automobile industry. (I’m not promoting or judging any make of car here, just offering an example that most everyone can relate to.) If every automobile were made to the very highest of standards, then there would be only Rolls Royce, Audi and Mercedes Benz. There would be no room for Chevrolet, Ford or Kia.

The appropriate level of quality that determines the standards by which you and your organization are governed is determined by the expectations of your market. This doesn’t preclude setting a standard which exceeds the expectations of that market. It just acts as a benchmark by which your performance is measured.

The values which create an environment of excellence govern how we do what we do and are – for the most part – concerned with how we relate to others. Values that may immediately come to mind are integrity, honesty, respect, and fairness. However, there are many other possible values that you and your team may want to include on your list in order to elicit excellence. Here are some additional values to help you get started: Authenticity, Family, Kindness, Commitment, Loyalty, Compassion, Happiness, Empathy, Health, and Humor.

Once you have defined what excellence means to you and your organization by clearly setting an expected level of standards for performance along with the values which determine how you, your team and your organization carry out the work you do, you will be in a position to design an environment which elicits excellence.

Designing an environment which elicits excellence is about establishing an organizational “culture”. A well-established culture will embody and reflect the standards and values you and your organization have agreed upon.

So… what constitutes “culture” and how do you establish it? Culture is established by how well you and your team live by and communicate the values and standards you’ve identified. It’s not so much “whether” you and your team agree to these things, as it is about how consistently and to what degree these values and standards are adhered to. Doing this well will create the proper initial expectations with new team members, will install a sense of pride throughout the organizations, and will fill your organization with integrity – causing the majority of your team to act, think, and speak in a certain way.

Consistency in the effort is all important. The consequences are unfortunate if you and your team profess to embrace and embody a certain culture, but live by it in an inconsistent manner, tolerate behaviors by others which are at odds with the culture, or worse, act in a manner at odds with the so-called “culture”. There is nothing more demoralizing than someone hearing about and believing in a certain culture, only to see a leader speak and act in an inconsistent manner. It absolutely undermines the integrity of the leader and the organization as a whole.

The bottom line is that demanding excellence of your team will only produce modest and inconsistent results. Alternatively, putting in the effort up front to design, implement, and live by a culture of excellence will produce long-term, self-sustaining results.

May 02 2022

Dealing with Employee Terminations

In a recent workshop I conducted on “The Art of Dealing with Difficult People”, we spent some time discussing terminations. If you’ve ever had to terminate someone, you know how difficult and stressful this can be. Over the years, I’ve developed a leadership philosophy that has enabled me to let someone go in a way that not only is more comfortable, but creates an opportunity for me to develop them and their future.

I believe that most people set out to do a good job. They have the intention of doing well and making a contribution. Therefore, when their quality of work is poor even after I’ve worked with them, trained them, and provided them with the proper tools, I know something is wrong.

Here’s the truth of the matter: Generally, the poor quality of work is a SYMPTOM rather than a PROBLEM!

What is it a symptom of? Well, it could be caused by one or more problems. Most often, I’ve found that the core problem is that they are in a role that doesn’t match their natural skills very well. They are in a job which requires a certain set of skills and their strengths lie in other directions. Imagine having a creative person in an accounting role, or a people person working in a private office without the ability to interact with others. They would surely become unhappy, their energy level and attitude would diminish, their focus would be lost, and the quality of their work would suffer. It’s only natural. I have often found that by observing someone’s natural strengths and comparing them to the skills their job requires, a mismatch exists.

How does this happen? Aren’t people aware of their strengths? No. Often they are not. Or they think they should be able to do other things. Or they think something is wrong with them. Or they are simply unhappy in their life and don’t know why. Think of how most people end up (especially early in our careers) in the jobs they have or the fields they have chosen. Typically, coming out of high school, we pick college subjects that we’re good at, or we simply take a job because someone offered one to us. There are a couple of consequences to these actions. People end up in a field that they’re good at but don’t enjoy. (Just because we’re good at something doesn’t mean we enjoy it.) Or, they end up in a field because they’ve been buffeted about by life, not because they actually sought an occupation out. It’s very, very common to find people in the wrong kind of job for their natural skill set.

Where is all this leading? One of the most important responsibilities a leader has is to develop others. Somehow, many leaders lose sight of this important role and miss the opportunity. What happens then is that they turn to “discipline” rather than “development”. The truth is that, especially with adults, discipline accomplishes nothing. Most often it either causes someone to become passive-aggressive or it causes them to leave. Neither result helps them, and sometimes a disciplinary course of action can backfire and cause you or your company further problems.

My solution to this is to use a more developmental approach. By keeping in mind that poor work is a symptom and one that is often caused by a mismatch of skills, I simply state the obvious. I’ll bring someone into my office and make this observation. I’ll say, “You can’t be happy here.” Their reaction is pretty consistent. At first, they’re in shock from a statement like that. Once the shock wears off, they pretty much agree. They’ll open up and admit that they ARE unhappy. Then I’ll explain what I’ve observed. I’ll highlight their best traits and skills, and point out how their present role doesn’t make use of them. It’s amazing how they’ll light up by having someone note their good qualities. I’ll help them see that their present job requires different skills.

I’ll follow that up by offering some examples of jobs that would better suit their natural skills. Know what happens? They’ll get this glint of excitement in their eyes and they’ll agree with you. I help them see a better, happier future. I’ll offer to help them update their resume and help them research companies who could use someone with their skills.

Know what happens next? They thank me.

You don’t have to take my word about this. I’ve spoken with a number of leaders who have used this approach, and they relate the same results. I’ve even heard of former employees who sought out their former manager up to a year later to thank them for pointing them in the right direction.

By the way, make sure you set a time table for the departure of your employee. Allowing someone to linger who is unhappy and who produces poor work will continue to be detrimental.
Also, please check with your HR department or HR attorney to ensure compliance with company and government regulations regarding terminations.

Remember, … leaders develop others.

Apr 25 2022

5 Strategies for Becoming an Inspiring Leader

For years, leaders have asked me how to motivate people. Regardless of whether you’re talking about large teams or small teams, sales teams or project teams, the answer is the same. You can’t motivate people.

Motivation comes from within and people are either self-motivated or they’re not. It’s one of the main reasons that only a handful of people respond to sales promotions or contests. Only the people who are driven by money will respond, while the rest won’t.

The most effective means of spurring people on to better performance and greater results is by inspiring them. In contrast to motivation, which comes from within, inspiration comes from others. The dictionary defines inspire as “To exert a stimulating or beneficial effect upon, or to arouse with a particular emotion.”

We – as leaders – inspire people by who we are, by what we do, or by what we did.

Why strive to be more inspiring? Here are some notable benefits of being an inspirational leader:

It elicits an emotional response
It creates the desire to accomplish or achieve something
It sparks the imagination as to what is possible
It creates belief
It creates enthusiasm
It creates hope
It creates admiration
It creates respect
It causes people to want to emulate us

When people are inspired, they aspire to reach new heights/goals and resolve to overcome obstacles, challenges and fears. They begin to dream bigger and regain hope that they can achieve those dreams. And when people are inspired by you, they make an effort to emulate you, they strive to be respected by you, and they become willing to align themselves with your passion, vision, or cause.

As you can see, the impact of being inspiring is significant. Of course, the big question is how to become inspiring. What transforms a leader into an inspirational leader? Here are five strategies for becoming a more inspiring leader:

Never miss the opportunity to share what you’re passionate about. People are attracted to and respond to leaders who are passionate about something. When a leader is passionate, people will follow then and be inspired by them.
Use stories to make your point and paint a picture. People relate to stories and analogies, and when told effectively, will evoke an emotional response. Stories can be very inspiring.
Share past challenges that you’ve overcome. It doesn’t have to be a major life altering challenge; it can be any kind of physical, mental or emotional challenge you overcame which made a difference in your life. People are inspired by those who overcame adversity.
Set an example of high integrity. Do what you say you’re going to do. Show up on time. Return phone calls and emails. Finish projects on time or ahead of time. And don’t be afraid to let people know when you’ve gone out of your way to do what you said you would do. People are inspired by leaders who earn their trust and respect through their actions.
Let others know what matters to you. Become clear on the values that matter most to you. Reflect throughout the day as to whether your actions are in alignment with those values you say matter. Leaders who live their values inspire people. (Conversely, saying one thing but doing another is not very inspiring.)

If you want to move your team into high gear, forget about trying to motivate them and instead, focus on becoming an inspiring leader.

Apr 11 2022

Employee Turnover is Not a Problem

Don’t get me wrong, I understand and appreciate that turnover creates challenges. Employee turnover causes a decrease in productivity, lower profits, inconsistent quality, and certainly creates work overload.

But here’s the question: Is employee turnover a problem or a symptom?

Turnover is a symptom.

But what is turnover a symptom of? You might argue that turnover is a symptom of unmotivated people, apathy or a labor shortage. But most often, turnover is a symptom of poor leadership. Turnover occurs because poor leaders lack purpose, lack integrity, lack a plan for developing people, have poor communication skills, and treat people like things instead of like people.

Have you ever worked for someone who lacked integrity? Someone who would say one thing and do another? Someone who promised to do something but never did it? Someone who took the credit and placed the blame? Unfortunately, I’d have to guess that each of us has had that kind of boss at one time or another.

When you were in that situation, did you continue to do your work? Of course you did. Was your work accurate and correct? Of course it was. Did you take the initiative on new projects for the benefit of the company? Maybe not. Go the extra mile to make a difference? Hmmm… Did you leave the company at the first opportunity? Point made. When an individual or a company lacks integrity, turnover occurs.

Have you ever worked at a company where the prospect of advancement was nonexistent? Someplace where you knew that you weren’t going anywhere? Did you stay very long? That’s my point. Without opportunity for growth and expanded responsibility, people leave.

Have you ever worked at a company where major changes were “sprung” on you? Where work was assigned to you and after you completed it, you found out you had done the wrong thing? What happens when people don’t communicate effectively? Poor communication leads to misunderstanding, conflict, de-motivation, and stress. What does misunderstanding, conflict, de-motivation and stress lead to? You got it – turnover.

And then comes the most insidious issue of them all – treating people like things rather than like people.

How does someone treat people like “things”? They do it in several ways. They do it when they’re insensitive to them and interact with people as if they have no feelings. They treat people like things when they ignore the fact that everyone has hopes and dreams and fears and stress. They treat people like things when they relate to people as if their own goals and aspirations are more important than the goals and aspirations of the other person. And they treat people like things when they don’t show respect for people or value their contributions and efforts.

When someone treats a person like a thing, it sends the message that they are unimportant and that they just don’t care about them. And when people sense a leader doesn’t care about them, they start not to care about that leader. When the company tolerates leaders who don’t care about people, people tend not to care about the company. When a leader treats people like things, turnover occurs.

In contrast, an effective leader understands that people’s hopes, dreams, fears, and stresses are real and matter to them. An effective leader inspires people. An effective leader interacts with people as people, helping them to be their best. And an effective leader helps people achieve their goals.

When a leader and an organization have a clearly defined purpose, they attract and retain the talent they need. When a leader and an organization have integrity, it builds trust and loyalty. When a leader and an organization are committed to developing people, people become the best they can be. When a leader and an organization communicate effectively, conflict and tension diminish, and cooperation increases. When a leader and an organization treat people as people, they appreciate it and reciprocate.

Turnover isn’t a problem – it’s a symptom caused by leadership problems. Fortunately, these problems can be resolved, and you have the power to make that difference. Strive to become the best leader you can be.

Apr 04 2022

3 Mistakes to Resist in Strategy Development

I’ve seen this scenario over and over again. Companies looking to increase profits develop a strategy to bring them closer to where they want to be. Except that the so-called strategy they develop isn’t really a strategy at all. It’s just a goal. Or sometimes it’s simply a platitude – a nice-sounding, but meaningless statement.

Regardless of whether they develop a goal or a platitude, the results are always the same. The so-called “strategy” is never realized. No amount of encouragement, accountability or table pounding will lead to achieving the desired results. Only a true strategy stands a chance of achieving significant results.

If you really want to develop a strategy that achieves great results, it is essential to avoid these three mistakes.

Mistake #1: Developing a Platitude
Let’s dispense with platitudes right up front. Platitudes are nice sounding phrases that accomplish nothing. A typical platitude might read, “We strive to be the recognized leader in our field and meet our customer’s expectations of excellence.” It gives no direction, isn’t actionable, and addresses no particular issue. There’s no way to execute on it and it can’t really be measured. A platitude is not a strategy.

Mistake #2: Developing a Goal
A goal is just a metric to measure progress in the execution of a strategy. It has no emotional or inspirational component. It’s simply a means of determining progress. A strategic-sounding goal might be, “Our strategy is to double revenues over the next three years.” No matter how detailed the plan is to achieve that goal and regardless of the fanfare with which it is rolled out, this non-strategy is simply a goal to double sales – nothing more. Not only that, but the desire to double revenues is completely arbitrary; a figure pulled out of the air. The only people who will be enthused about this non-strategy are the ones who set the goal. And while it may result in an initial burst of activity and enthusiasm, they soon fade, resulting in business as usual. A goal is not a strategy.

Mistake #3: Developing a Tactic
Tactics are the means by which a strategic initiative can be achieved. Tactics – like goals – have no emotion or energy behind them. They are simply the mechanics of how things will get done. A typical strategic-sounding tactic might be, “Our strategy is to increase the sales force by 20% over the course of this year.” It’s simply a statement of the mechanics to achieve something. The problem is that that “something” is undefined and therefore this metric is viewed as arbitrary as well. Just as in the case of the pursuit of a goal, executing a tactic in the absence of a strategic objective make sense for a while, until the newness wears off and then enthusiasm wanes. There simply isn’t a compelling reason to achieve it. A tactic is not a strategy.

Develop a True Strategy
A good strategy, in contrast to platitudes, goals or tactics, addresses an issue or problem, and provides a direction for the company to move. It also provides the reason for the initiative, creating a desire to achieve it. By way of example, if the core problem is a product line which is not differentiated from the competition, the strategy might be, “Our strategy is to become known as the innovator in our industry by developing customized products and services.” This is an initiative that people can get behind (buy-in) and strive to achieve. The strategy causes the company and its people to become better than they presently are. Additionally, it incorporates a compelling “why” and embodies something people can take pride in achieving. By developing a true strategy, excellent results can be achieved and the desired financial goals realized.